Fame can carry us away. El Chapo, a man with the simple wish to provide for his family, evolved into one of the most powerful drug traffickers globally. He was driven not only by wealth but also the idolization that came with it; consequently, he succumbed to the resulting greed. This greed consumed him, making him a killer. El Chapo’s notoriety led to both local prosperity and the drug related deaths of countless victims.

Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, even in his youth, was a provider. From a young age, he shouldered the weight of poverty. Raised in a small village with several siblings, his family struggled to make ends meet. According to Time Magazine, “Guzmán toiled as a child to help bring food to the table, hauling sacks of oranges around the hills to sell to peasant farmers for a few pesos” (Grillo). The rural town of La Tuna, with its limited economic opportunities, prompted him to explore many ways of contributing to his family’s sustenance. The rugged landscape of Sinaloa, while picturesque, posed challenges for those seeking a stable livelihood. During the 1960s and 1970s, the demand for illegal drugs was rising. The location of Sinaloa was known for its fertile lands, making it conducive for cultivating these crops. Guzmán recognized potential for greater profits in the drug trade compared to meager earnings from selling soft drinks and candy. In an interview with actor Sean Penn, he himself states that “The way to survive is to grow poppy and marijuana, and from that age, I began to grow it, to harvest it, and to sell it” (Guzmán). As he started working in the fields, he became entangled in the web of drug production and distribution, as it was a lucrative source of income compared to the earnings from his previous activities. He soon navigated the dynamics of the drug trade, learning the trade craft. The secluded environment in which he lived offered a cover for his illicit activities, and as he honed his skills and expanded his involvement, El Chapo began to recognize the potential for significant financial gain in the drug trade.

Achieving notable success within his hometown, El Chapo’s ambitions transcended local boundaries. Despite originating from a small hometown, Guzmán’s global fame and fortune were not just products of his local roots, but also came from a much larger stage: “Guzmán was able to accumulate such wealth and power thanks to the market north of the border, ‘the world’s largest consumer of illicit drugs’” (Kirkus). El Chapo initially entered the United States in the late 1970s by crossing the border between Mexico and Arizona. He started off smuggling small quantities of drugs, primarily marijuana, before expanding into more profitable enterprises. As his operations expanded throughout the United States, the billions of dollars he made from the high demand for narcotics fueled his rise to unprecedented levels of wealth and influence. The American market propelled him beyond the confines of his Mexican hometown, and as his success skyrocketed, so did the darkness within his endeavors. His transformation from a small-time provider to a notorious drug trafficker and killer became evident in the tragic aftermath of addiction and loss. In 2016, there were over 15,000 deaths linked to heroin, which is five times the number reported in 2010. The impact of drugs was one of the deadliest (Grillo). Guzmán was no longer a kid providing for his struggling family, but a man overwhelmed by greed, and as the death toll climbed, so did his fame as a key player in the drug trade.

By now, El Chapo was worth billions, making him one of the most wanted criminals in both Mexico and the United States. As his wealth increased, so did his influence. Despite being a wanted criminal, his hometown continued to idolize him due to his generosity—especially as villages expanded, drawing more people into his sphere of influence: “In Sinaloa, drugs provide jobs for everyone. Entire generations fed themselves thanks to drugs” (Saviano). As authorities closed in, successfully capturing him, they achieved a momentary victory for justice. However, the dynamics of Sinaloa, where El Chapo wasn’t merely a criminal but a respected figure, played a pivotal role in shaping later events. Despite selling fatal drugs to the loved ones of his devoted admirers, the loyalty that El Chapo built from his community due to the drug related opportunities he provided led to the construction of his escape. Every detail of the plan was meticulously considered to ensure his successful evasion of the authorities. Remarkably, the escape route was constructed through his prison cell toilet for him to crawl through, a location devoid of cameras. Because of his bribes, corrupt prison guards shared critical information with him regarding the escape plan, including details about the tunnel being constructed beneath his cell. With this inside knowledge, he was able to use the tunnel to successfully escape prison. The getaway involved ventilation shafts, electrical wiring, lights, and tracks at the bottom for a custom-built motorcycle, which El Chapo used to quickly escape (Korzeniewski). This escape proved the profound influence he held in Sinaloa, illustrating the relationship between a criminal and the community in which his story began. His desire for a grander empire, fueled by the allure of prosperity and a following in Sinaloa, enabled him to amass billions. However, his ruthlessness made him a killer and a public enemy. His ability to hold a tight grip on both the drug trade and Sinaloa’s loyalty revealed the duality of his influence. His idolization was both a shield and a sword, shielding him from capture for some time but also motivating his community to craft his escape as soon as justice caught up with him. El Chapo, one of the most successful drug traffickers, rode to freedom through a sewer. Following the prison break, he managed to evade authorities and went into hiding. He resorted to remote mountainous regions and more secluded areas, relying on his network of supporters and allies to avoid capture for longer. However, after a several month long manhunt, authorities finally tracked him down in a hotel by the seaside town of Sinaloa. According to The New York Times, the final and most crucial piece of evidence in finding him was a large order of tacos placed by El Chapo’s associates to where he was staying (Ahmed). After his capture, he was transferred to a high-security prison in Colorado, where he is currently serving a life sentence. Ultimately, his journey came full circle, with both his rise and arrest occurring in Sinaloa.

While El Chapo’s rise to fame initially seemed beneficial towards his community, his priorities became increasingly apparent as a troubling story unfolded. Even though his community relied on him for their survival, he proceeded to exploit them for the purpose of his greed. As soon as he was imprisoned, he had done too much for his hometown for them to let him go. But at the end of the day, some birds are meant to be caged.